uwloo

SYDE 114Matrices and Linear Systems

Units
0.25
Faculty
Engineering
Subject
Systems Design Engineering

Not in the current Undergraduate Calendar. Shown as it appeared in 2025–26.

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Matrix algebra, inverses, solution of linear systems, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, lower-upper (LU) factorization. Numerical methods: sensitivity, condition number.

Prerequisites

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

Reviewed on UW Flow

46% liked it41% easy77% useful

From 101 ratings and 12 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Reasons why I disliked the course:
    1. The grade distribution.
    2. Lack of smaller, periodic unit tests.
    3. Professor did not share notes
    4. Professor was inaudible most of the time.

    Aug 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • this course would've been just fine and dandy if not for the 40% midterm and 60% final distribution. There were no assignments, no extra practice problems, just a 1.5 hour lecture and 1 hour tutorial each week, where the prof didn't post anything on learn and the TAs tried to carry us, but we were too far gone.

    Jul 2023 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The tests were easy and short (around 4 questions), but they did get progressively harder throughout the term. The pace was okay since there was one 2-hr lecture per week. The textbook that he recommends is far too advanced and I did not use it at all, other than the examples/practice questions. Many spent the night before studying and doing the assignments haha. The final exam was surprisingly hard.

    Jul 2015 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The first half of the course seems easy but it's the easiest to mess up. Kerr taught well and at a good pace. The exam and tests were simple if you are prepared

    May 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Professor Kerr was very detailed in lectures and taught at a slow pace. Problem sets and textbook questions are given, though the assessments mostly resemble the problem sets. I was expecting this course to be a lot harder based on what people were saying about linear algebra in 1A, but it really was not that bad. Some concepts from this course were brought up in SYDE 112, so it is useful to know your stuff.

    Apr 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

7 posts and comments in 5 threads mention SYDE 114, June 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2024

Fall 2022

Undergrad courses I've taken tier list (details in comments) 161 points, 13 comments

u/MindTheGap9: “… - SYDE114 - "Calculus" (lol). Birkett's first slaughter of our class. Whatever TA held a 6.5 hour review session the night before the midterm saved us. …”

u/Academiaphile: “Was SYDE 114 "Numerical and applied Calculus", or was it "Matrices and Linear Systems"? I see both as descriptions of the course online and I would like to know what I'm getting into! Thanks!”

View on RedditRemove this

Winter 2021

Management engineering question 1 point, 23 comments

“I was recently admitted into management engineering and was wondering how the workload was. How different is it to high school or other universities’ engineering programs like western ryerson and …”

u/original-random: “All of the engineering programs are a lot of work, and, in general, all university programs are a lot more work than high school. …”

u/steven_0: “… (For example mgte takes the standard math 115 and math 116 which most engineering programs take whereas syde takes SYDE 113, 114). Your second point is moot bc I was primarily addressing the transition from first to second year which would not have been online. …”

View on RedditRemove this

Fall 2017

Syllabus for BME 121/182/184, SYDE 113/114 0 points, 1 comment

u/chromaco: “Does anyone have course syllabus for BME 121, BME 182, BME 184, SYDE 113, and SYDE 114? for any one of the courses and for any years? If anyone has it, could someone upload it for me? …”

u/watson-and-crick: “SYDE 114 doesn't usually give out the syllabus, he just points to the class website. BME 184 is now in 2A and labeled BME 285. Sorry, I don't actually have any of them myself.”

View on RedditRemove this

Spring 2017

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar